Industry news8Filtration+Separation December 2005

Fleetguard Emission Solutions hasopened an exhaust aftertreatmentmanufacturing facility in SouthAfrica to produce SelectiveCatalyst Reduction (SCR)systems; these reduce oxides ofnitrogen (NOx) emissions by 70to 80% in heavy-duty truck andspecialty vehicle applications,reports the company.

Fleetguard says it is the first high-volume plant of its kind in SouthAfrica, and the products made willhelp heavy-duty trucks meet theEuro IV and Euro V emissionstandards, which take effect in2006. Initially, all SCR systemsmade at the plant will be exportedto serve the European market.

Fleetguard Emission Solutions hasinvested more than US$3 millionin the 50,000-square-foot facilitylocated in Pretoria’s RossylnAutomotive Supplier Park, whichis near key suppliers andtransportation facilities. Theplant is expected to employ about

50 workers by mid-2006. A smallnumber of the SCR systems willbe produced this year, with fullproduction levels projected tobegin in the second quarter of

2006. Production at the plant iseventually expected to exceed70,000 units a year.

www.fleetguard.com

Fleetguard open for business in South Africa

Westfalia acquires the Membraflow GroupWith effect from 1 October 2005,Westfalia Separator has acquiredthe Membraflow Group. Thenewly acquired company is totrade under the name WestfaliaSeparator Membraflow GmbH.

The Membraflow group producesand installs ceramic membranesand membrane filtrationinstallations. It generates sales ofapproximately �9 million. Basedin Essingen near Stuttgart,Germany, the company employs34 people, and is said to be one ofthe three largest players in theglobal market for filtration usingceramic elements; this isestimated to generate sales ofroughly �100 million a year, andrapid growth is forecast over thenext few years.

The acquisition of theMembraflow Group ensures thatWestfalia can offer completeproduct clarification within theprocess chain. In fact, say thecompany, Membraflow productsare already being used sporadically

in conjunction with Westfalia’sseparators or decanters. In the foodsector, for example, Membraflow’sbiggest customers are engaged inthe production of gelatine and

starch. But the company alsoworks with winemakers and fruit-juice producers.

www.westfalia-separator.com

Separationin Winemaking is just one of the areas in which Membraflow will add to Westfalia’s technology offerings

Parker HannifinacquiresKenmore Parker Hannifin is acquiringKenmore International, a leadingmanufacturer and distributor ofcomponents for globalrefrigeration and air conditioningmarkets, from Lai Berg Holding,AS of Norway. The acquisition isexpected to close in the comingweeks, once final regulatoryapproval is received. Terms of thesale were not disclosed.

Kenmore operates facilities inTurkey, China, India, the UnitedKingdom and the USA,employing more than 1,000people in the design,manufacture and sale of systemprotectors and relatedcomponents. The companyproduced sales of approximatelyUS$110 million in 2004. Theacquisition is expected to beaccretive within a year of itsintegration as part of Parker’sClimate and Industrial Controls(CIC) business group.

“Kenmore’s distribution networkand brand recognition,including the Virginia KMPname in the US, strengthen ourexisting offerings for domesticand commercial refrigerationand air conditioningappliances,” said LynnCortright, president, climateand industrial controls at Parker.“More operations in India,China and Turkey will becomethe climate and industrialcontrols group’s first whollyindependent operations in thosecountries to serve growingstrategic markets,” saidCortright.

“Our companies are anexcellent strategic fit,” said NicBerg, Kenmore’s chief executiveofficer (ceo). “Consolidation inour industry has accelerated ascustomers demand globalservice. By combining forces,our companies will befavourably positioned with aleading market share to servecustomers in this morecompetitive globalenvironment.”

www.parker.com

FS4210p4_15.qxd 07/12/2005 17:01 Page 8